It seemed to me that environmentalism was invented sometime in the early 90s. All of a sudden my schooling was about greenhouse gases and how we the children have the future in our hands. Could this Generation X solve the problems caused by Generations A-W? I doubt it because if you look back to 1971 and the publishing of The Lorax, you will see that for decades before people like Dr Seuss have been trying to teach the kids to think green.

Who is the Lorax? He's a legend, a myth, a monster and a protector. His job was to protect the trees, but when you are fighting the might of industry you cannot possibly win. This is an allegorical tale all about thinking before you act. One little boy decides to listen to the story of the Lorax and the plight of the trees, but can he do anything about it?

Dr Seuss is rightly famed for his wonderful rhymes and bizarre illustrations, but the very best of his work also contains a great story that makes a child think. This was seen in Horton Hears a Who, but is even more so in Lorax, possibly his best work. This is not a simple list of amusing animals or strange inventions, but a story that contains all these things wrapped up in a moral message that is even more pertinent today than on its initial release.

The wonderful thing is that all the elements that make Seuss books so brilliant are present. This paperback re-release of the story is full colour and comes at a very accessible price. The illustrations and use of colour works brilliantly with the story. The book starts off dark and moody with the destroyed forest, but as we fly back to the past to see the Lorax, there is a world full of striking colour. If a child chooses to do so, they can enjoy the book on the images and rhymes alone.

However, most children will also appreciate the story. Green issues are often treated a little too heavy handed in children's books as the author thinks the child needs everything signposted. Seuss ensured that fun came first in the Lorax, but also made the moral apparent. Due to the slightly darker nature of the story this is best left to an emerging reader who is confident in thinking for themselves and happy to ask an adult questions. There are likely to be a few coming from this book, which is amazing when you think it's nearly 50 years old.